


The Games They Played

by highflyer101



Series: The Lives We Might Have Led [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Disappointment, F/M, Flashback, Gen, Heartbreak, Regret, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 13:06:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/786352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highflyer101/pseuds/highflyer101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"They grew up together.</p>
<p>They shared stories and laughs and secrets buried so deep inside them, they didn't even know they existed.</p>
<p>That means something. It has to."</p>
<p>In which Petyr is betrayed by the woman he's worshiped since he was seven: Catelyn Tully.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Games They Played

They grew up together.

They shared stories and laughs and secrets buried so deep inside them, they didn't even know they existed.

That means something. It has to.

* * *

Petyr is only seven, but even at his tender age, he knows what it's like to be lonely. Contrary to what he tells his mother, the other kids at school _aren't_ friendly and kind to the little boy with glasses and light-up sneakers. They taunt him relentlessly, constantly looking for a new flaw to harp on. One day it is his bowl-shaped hair cut, the next it is his love of math. He's learned to accept their ridicule and retain some semblance of dignity; he no longer makes an effort to befriend his bullies. Instead, he sits on the side of the playground at lunch and eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich by himself.

No one notices until she comes. She has hair like fire and eyes like sapphires, and her voice is strong and commanding. Her name is Catelyn. At twelve years old, she is four whole grade levels above him, but that doesn't stop her from admonishing his tormentors and asking him to sit with her at lunch.

That night, he is being honest when he tells his mother he had fun at school.

* * *

Catelyn likes games. She teaches Petyr capture the flag and they play after school with her siblings, Lysa and Edmure. The entire Tully family turns out to be nice, but not as nice as Cat herself. He tells her so one day while they walk home from school.

"That's sweet," she giggles.

"I mean it!" he insists. She just laughs.

* * *

Petyr, now ten years old, often muses that his friendship with Cat is the only thing in his life that is constant. She is fifteen now, arguably too old to be hanging out with some fifth grader, but she doesn't seem to mind. They still walk home from school together and occasionally she'll invite him over for milk and cookies. That grows less frequent as the school year rolls on, though.

Cat has homework now, and finals, and a whole bunch of other things Petyr just wouldn't understand. More often than not, she needs to spend her afternoons studying, not babysitting a boy she used knows from primary school. She tells him as much one day, says she is sorry but sometimes life gets in the way of these things. Undeterred, he knocks on her door every Saturday and asks if she would like to play.

"She's out," Lysa tells him one day. She smacks her gum rudely. "It's her friend's birthday today."

"Oh," Petyr says. Lysa studies him for a moment before speaking again.

"I can play with you, if you like," she offers.

He agrees because he doesn't exactly have anything better to do.

* * *

In a couple of years, he is in secondary school with Catelyn. His heart leaps at the opportunity to go back to how it used to be - when they were the best friends on the entire planet and nothing could ever keep them apart. She smiles indulgently when he tells her how thrilled he is, and gives him a nurturing hug.

Right before he leaves, Lysa reminds him that Cat's going to university next year, and all his hopes are dashed.

* * *

There is a big dance at the end of the school year, open to any student who wants to go. Everyone is bringing a date, everyone except Petyr, and he wonders if Cat would ever want to go with him. He sends her furtive, longing glances when he thinks she's not looking and hopes he'll get up the courage to say something.

Then _she_ approaches _him,_ and his heart nearly stops. She gives him a smile and a hug and asks him if he'd like to go with her.

"Me?" he sputters. "Why?"

"Because you're my best friend!" she exclaims, as though it is that simple, and she kisses him on the cheek when he says yes.

His mom says he is too young to be in love, but he's not quite sure.

* * *

She graduates, just like Lysa said she would. She's going to a great school, and he's happy for her, really. But this is going to change everything, and he doesn't know if he's ready for that quite yet.

"This isn't goodbye," she promises before she leaves. "We'll still be best friends."

He can't decide if he believes her.

* * *

Time changes him, as it does everyone else. He grows up to be handsome and witty, someone Cat might actually love. He waits with crossed fingers for the day she'll return and he can claim her heart like he always wanted to.

Then an invitation comes in the mail: an invitation for a coming home party, _her_ coming home party. He calls to tell her he'll be coming and eagerly begins planning the night. He will bring her a bouquet of flowers and tell her jokes and kiss her softly before he leaves. She will love him as she is supposed to and they will be happy.

He doesn't anticipate her bringing home a boyfriend named Brandon, Brandon _Stark,_ whose father is a politician and mother is an heiress. He didn't anticipate the coming home party doubling as a surprise engagement party.

He _certainly_ didn't anticipate downing so many vodkas that he could pretend Lysa was Cat. He didn't anticipate luring her into a bedroom and tasting the cherry schnapps on her tongue, either.

* * *

"You have my number, right?" Lysa frets as he pulls on his shirt the next morning.

"Yes," he assures her, holding up the slip of paper she gave him.

He burns it the second he gets home.

* * *

He watches Cat get married with sadness in his eyes.

He wasn't invited, presumably because Lysa blabbed about their night together and now the Tully's think he is some kind of sexual miscreant. But he is nothing if not resourceful, and he manages to sneak in anyways.

She doesn't even marry Brandon, in the end. Tragically, the Stark heir died in a freak car accident, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Of course, the younger Stark, Ned, wasted no time on moving in on his late brother's fiancee.

People talk about the two, how they are defacing Brandon's name by being together, and really should have some more respect. But Petyr doesn't mind that tiny detail. He can understand the relentless need to love Cat; he knows the feeling all too well.

(Of course, this doesn't stop him from being bitter.)

* * *

They grew up together.

They shared stories and laughs and secrets buried so deep inside them, they didn't even know they existed.

Once, he thought that meant something. It didn't.


End file.
